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Infection and Immunity Jul 1992The Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferase (GTF) genes gtfB and gtfC were ligated into Escherichia coli-streptococcus shuttle plasmids and introduced into...
The Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferase (GTF) genes gtfB and gtfC were ligated into Escherichia coli-streptococcus shuttle plasmids and introduced into Streptococcus milleri. gtfB transformant KSB8 formed an S. mutans-like rough colony on mitis salivarius agar and expressed an extracellular GTF-I, of 158 kDa, and two cell-bound GTF-Is, of 158 and 135 kDa. gtfC transformant KSC43 formed a semirough colony on mitis salivarius agar and expressed primarily an extracellular GTF-SI, of 146 kDa, and two cell-bound GTF-SIs, of 146 and 152 kDa. The extracellular GTFs from KSB8 and KSC43 were purified and characterized. The two types of GTF also reacted specifically with monoclonal antibodies directed against each enzyme. Both enzymes synthesized significant amounts of oligosaccharides, consisting primarily of alpha-1,6-glucosidic linkages, as well as water-insoluble glucans, containing alpha-1,3-glucosidic linkages. Insoluble-glucan-synthesizing activities of both enzymes were stimulated (three- to sixfold) by the addition of dextran T10 and were inhibited in the presence of 1.5 M ammonium sulfate. The Km(s) for sucrose and the optimal pHs were also similar for both enzymes. However, when the transformants were grown in Todd-Hewitt broth supplemented with sucrose, KSC43 cells, expressing GTF-SI activity, adhered to glass surfaces in vitro, while KSB8 cells, expressing GTF-I activity, did not. These results are discussed relative to the potential role of the gtfB and gftC genes in S. mutans cariogenicity.
Topics: Ammonium Sulfate; Bacterial Adhesion; Blotting, Southern; Blotting, Western; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromosome Mapping; Dextrans; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; Glucans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Plasmids; Streptococcus mutans; Sucrose; Transformation, Bacterial
PubMed: 1377183
DOI: 10.1128/iai.60.7.2815-2822.1992 -
BMJ Case Reports Mar 2020Brain abscesses represent areas of localised infection of the brain parenchyma. Those confined to the brainstem are rare and usually fatal if untreated. is a common...
Brain abscesses represent areas of localised infection of the brain parenchyma. Those confined to the brainstem are rare and usually fatal if untreated. is a common causative organism of brain abscesses and is associated with significant morbidity. We describe a case report of medullary abscess secondary to dental infection in a 68-year-old patient. The patient presented with headaches and flu-like symptoms progressing to left hemiparesis and reduced consciousness/bulbar function. The patient underwent emergency posterior fossa craniectomy and drainage with subsequent medical management with antibiotics. Prompt diagnosis, early surgical intervention and maximal therapy with antibiotics alongside extensive rehabilitation are all vital to ensure good neurological outcome. It is imperative for medical practitioners to consider the diagnosis of brain abscess in patients presenting with rapid onset neurological deterioration. Such cases require early neurological imaging with involvement of tertiary neurosurgery services.
Topics: Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Brain Abscess; Craniotomy; Drainage; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medulla Oblongata; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus intermedius; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 32161079
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2019-233286 -
Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2021The urinary tract has a microbial community (the urinary microbiota or urobiota) that has been associated with human health. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria is a...
The urinary tract has a microbial community (the urinary microbiota or urobiota) that has been associated with human health. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria is a powerful tool, allowing investigation of the genomic content of the urobiota, also called the urinary microbiome (urobiome). Bacterial plasmids are a significant component of the urobiome yet are understudied. Because plasmids can be vectors and reservoirs for clinically relevant traits, they are important for urobiota dynamics and thus may have relevance to urinary health. In this project, we sought plasmids in 11 clinically relevant urinary species: Aerococcus urinae, Corynebacterium amycolatum, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Gardnerella vaginalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus anginosus, and Streptococcus mitis. We found evidence of plasmids in E. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. epidermidis, and S. anginosus but insufficient evidence in other species sequenced thus far. Some identified plasmidic assemblies were predicted to have putative virulence and/or antibiotic resistance genes, although the majority of their annotated coding regions were of unknown predicted function. In this study, we report on plasmids from urinary species as a first step to understanding the role of plasmids in the bacterial urobiota. The microbial community of the urinary tract (urobiota) has been associated with human health. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria permits examination of urobiota genomes, including plasmids. Because plasmids are vectors and reservoirs for clinically relevant traits, they are important for urobiota dynamics and thus may have relevance to urinary health. Currently, urobiota plasmids are understudied. Here, we sought plasmids in 11 clinically relevant urinary species. We found evidence of plasmids in E. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. epidermidis, and S. anginosus but insufficient evidence in the other 6 species. We identified putative virulence and/or antibiotic resistance genes in some of the plasmidic assemblies, but most of their annotated coding regions were of unknown function. This is a first step to understanding the role of plasmids in the bacterial urobiota.
Topics: Bacteria; Enterococcus faecalis; Escherichia coli; Genome, Bacterial; Genomics; Humans; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Microbiota; Plasmids; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Streptococcus anginosus; Urinary Tract; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 34937183
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00942-21 -
Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and... 1995We undertook a microbiological study of purulent specimens from women with symptomatic breast abscesses.
OBJECTIVE
We undertook a microbiological study of purulent specimens from women with symptomatic breast abscesses.
METHODS
Fifty-one purulent samples were collected in 2 periods (December 1991-April 1992 and January 1994-June 1994) from nonpuerperal breast abscesses in 44 patients attending our hospital.
RESULTS
One of the most frequently isolated microorganisms was Proteus mirabilis (9 patients, 20.4%), present as a pure culture in all but 1 specimen (isolated together with Peptostreptococcus spp.). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 10 specimens, 6 of which were post-tumorectomy abscesses. Polymicrobial anaerobic flora were isolated in 11 specimens (21.5%); Staphylococcus epidermidis in 4 (8%); and Streptococcus milleri,Alcaligenes sp., and mixed aerobic-anaerobic flora in 1 specimen each. The 7 remaining samples (13.7%) were negative bacteriological cultures.
CONCLUSIONS
We draw attention to the frequent isolation of P. mirabilis in recurrent and torpid breast abscesses in 4 women in whom surgery was necessary in addition to antibiotic treatment.
PubMed: 18476022
DOI: 10.1155/S1064744995000330 -
Revista de Neurologia Aug 2022
Topics: Brain Abscess; Humans; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus milleri Group
PubMed: 35879884
DOI: 10.33588/rn.7503.2021234 -
BMJ Case Reports Jul 2020Psoas abscess is a rare and occasionally life-threatening condition. In the past, the major cause of psoas abscess was a descending infection originating from spine...
Psoas abscess is a rare and occasionally life-threatening condition. In the past, the major cause of psoas abscess was a descending infection originating from spine tuberculosis (Pott's disease). Subsequently, secondary infection from spondylodiscitis or Crohn's disease has become the prevalent aetiology. Conventional treatment ranges from antibiotic therapy alone to CT-guided and/or surgical drainage. We present the case of a 67-year-old man with a complex history, including pneumonia, sepsis and previous muscle-skeletal trauma. The patient subsequently developed a psoas abscess that was successfully treated with a minimally invasive retroperitoneoscopic approach and antibiotics. Blood cultures and pus yielded Gram-positive sp, and transesophageal echocardiography identified endocarditis as a possible source of sepsis. Postoperative clinical course was complicated by recurrent sepsis that required a change of antibiotic therapy. The patient was eventually discharged to rehabilitation care without further complications. The retroperitoneoscopic approach is safe and effective for the treatment of cryptogenic psoas abscess.
Topics: Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drainage; Endoscopy; Humans; Male; Psoas Abscess; Retroperitoneal Space; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus intermedius
PubMed: 32641307
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2020-235579 -
American Journal of Ophthalmology Case... Jun 2022To present a case of periorbital and orbital necrotizing fasciitis (PONF) from an odontogenic source with a distinct microbiologic profile and highlight the need for...
PURPOSE
To present a case of periorbital and orbital necrotizing fasciitis (PONF) from an odontogenic source with a distinct microbiologic profile and highlight the need for emergent multidisciplinary management.
OBSERVATIONS
A 39-year-old man presented with periorbital swelling, pain, and erythema following facial trauma. Imaging revealed peri-dental collections, accompanying maxillary sinusitis, and pre- and post-septal involvement. Immediate surgical debridement of necrotic tissue along with broad-spectrum antibiotics were pursued for management. Cultures grew multiple organisms, most notably group and .
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE
PONF is a rare yet potentially fatal disease. group and a fulminant course are to be suspected when the source is odontogenic. Timely multidisciplinary surgical debridement and medical management with intravenous antibiotics is critical for best outcomes.
PubMed: 35243174
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajoc.2022.101439 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Jul 1990A biochemical scheme was developed by which strains of Streptococcus constellatus, Streptococcus intermedius, and Streptococcus anginosus can reliably be distinguished... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
A biochemical scheme was developed by which strains of Streptococcus constellatus, Streptococcus intermedius, and Streptococcus anginosus can reliably be distinguished from within the "Streptococcus milleri group." Strains identified as S. intermedius were differentiated by the ability to produce detectable levels of alpha-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-D-fucosidase, beta-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and sialidase with 4-methylumbelliferyl-linked fluorogenic substrates in microdilution trays after 3 h of incubation at 37 degrees C, together with the production of hyaluronidase. Strains of S. constellatus and S. anginosus were differentiated by the production of alpha-glucosidase and hyaluronidase by the former and the production of beta-glucosidase by the latter. The majority of strains of the S. milleri group obtained from dental plaque were identified as S. intermedius, as were most strains isolated from abscesses of the brain and liver. Strains of S. constellatus and S. anginosus were from a wider variety of infections, both oral and nonoral, than were strains of S. intermedius, with the majority of strains from urogenital infections being identified as S. anginosus.
Topics: Dental Plaque; Enzymes; Hemolysis; Humans; Organ Specificity; Phenotype; Species Specificity; Streptococcus
PubMed: 2380375
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.28.7.1497-1501.1990 -
Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks,... Jul 2021Substantial changes in the composition of the vaginal microbiome occur following the end of pregnancy. To identify potential drivers of microbiome changes in individual...
Substantial changes in the composition of the vaginal microbiome occur following the end of pregnancy. To identify potential drivers of microbiome changes in individual women during the pregnancy to postpartum transition, we evaluated vaginal samples from 48 pregnant women during their first and third trimesters and postpartum. We determined the species composition of vaginal communities and the vaginal fluid levels of compounds involved in mediating changes in host physiology and the immune system at each time point. We used linear mixed-effects models to characterize associations. Consistent with previous reports, but with a larger sample size, a US population, and variations in the dominant bacteria, the vaginal microbiome was found to be more diverse during the postpartum period. There was a lower abundance of Lactobacillus and significantly higher proportions of Streptococcus anginosus and Prevotella bivia. Moreover, we uniquely demonstrated that postpartum vaginal secretions were also altered postpartum. There were elevated levels of hyaluronan and Hsp70 and decreased levels of the D- and L-lactic acid isomers. We posit that these variations are consequences of alterations in the vagina after delivery that profoundly alter the host environment and, thus, lead to changes in the capability of different bacterial species to survive and proliferate.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Lactobacillus; Microbiota; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Prevotella; Streptococcus anginosus; Vagina
PubMed: 33432532
DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00438-6 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Jan 1992The associations of Streptococcus intermedius, S. constellatus, and S. anginosus (the three species of the S. milleri group) with clinical infections and sites of...
Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus constellatus, and Streptococcus anginosus (the Streptococcus milleri group): association with different body sites and clinical infections.
The associations of Streptococcus intermedius, S. constellatus, and S. anginosus (the three species of the S. milleri group) with clinical infections and sites of isolation were investigated by using a simple biochemical scheme to identify a collection of 153 clinical isolates. S. intermedius was associated with abscesses of the brain and liver, while both S. anginosus and S. constellatus were isolated from a wider range of sites and infections. S. anginosus strains predominated in both genitourinary and gastrointestinal sources and exhibited a wider range of phenotypes, particularly in the ability to ferment mannitol and/or raffinose.
Topics: Central Nervous System Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Male Urogenital Diseases; Organ Specificity; Respiratory Tract Infections; Species Specificity; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 1734062
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.30.1.243-244.1992